


To Be Engaged

by TheAzureFox



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, edited a bit from my other post
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-16 07:31:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4616679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAzureFox/pseuds/TheAzureFox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kamui has always held a crush on Aqua. Having admired her since the first time he saw her dance, he can't help but feel affectionate for the blue-haired dancer. However, when his siblings insist on his getting engaged (and married) to another woman entirely, he can't help but feel cheated and upset.</p><p>(Japanese names, KamuixAqua one-shot)</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Be Engaged

**Author's Note:**

> Taken from my Fanfic account. A fanfic representing M!Kamui and Aqua because, honestly, this pairing needs more fan fictions about them. 
> 
> Also - spoilers about the third game with be evident in this work. Things like who the kids are and units outside of what has already been revealed before release will make notable appearances throughout the narrative and thus it should be noted that those who want to avoid plot spoilers or relevant game character information should stray away from this one-shot and not scroll down a second further.
> 
> (And, on a final note, I consider Kamui and Aqua not to be cousins as they are in-game and, instead, see their mother's as friends rather than sisters. That is all, have fun reading!)

 The fact that Kamui held a genuine crush on Aqua was no big secret. Almost everyone in the New Kingdom knew of his affections for the dancer and everyone knew he was easily blackmailed because of it. His older sisters constantly reminded him of that, teasing that they’d spill the beans to Aqua if he didn’t fulfill certain requests. Chores such as attending the kingdom meetings, participating in hour-long debates, and even cleaning out pegasus/wyvern stalls met the priority list quite often. He didn’t exactly mind doing them - the meetings were beneficial, the debates were interesting, and the stall-cleaning a chance at mindless labor – but he found the fear of Aqua’s finding-out to be a great motivation for him.

 Even now, as he watched the blue-haired girl twist and turn and flow into the steps of her new dance, he couldn’t help but admire her. Unlike when she talked with others, her dancing conveyed a sharp sense of emotion. There was a great sense of an invisible language behind her movements, telling of the feelings she did not express as easily. Though Aqua’s face kept a painful calm, the actions of her body told so much more. Her hands raised to the sky told of hope, the sliding movement of her feet spoke of her determination while the jerking back of her front half told of her fear to do so. A simple spin of her hair, the twisting of blue locks around the edges of her hips, conveyed the sense of elation. In short, her dancing was the epitome of the emotions she could not bear naturally.

 Aqua faltered in her movements and, without much warning, crashed to the ground. Kamui, now alarmed and pushed out of his daze, jumped from his seat and to her side. Beside him, Felicia and Joker did the same, the former looking nervous while the latter sighed in distress. He ignored both of them to attend to the girl in front of him. “Aqua!” he yelped. “Aqua, are you okay?”

 The songstress looked at him. “I’m fine,” she moved her right leg over the floor of the auditorium’s stage and then winced, “I think. Though, my ankle might not be as fine as everything else.”

 “I’ll heal it for you!” Felicia declared and held out her staff. The blue crystal on top of it glowed and moments later the light died. The maid examined the area of supposed influence and smiled. “Luckily, it’s just a sprain,” she told the blue-haired girl. “Otherwise, it’d take a lot more than this silly old staff to heal you.”

 “Thank you, Felicia,” Aqua said curtly, rising quickly to her feet.

 “Woah, are you sure you’re okay?” Kamui asked, looking over her worriedly. “That was quite the fall!”

 She looked at him and laughed. “Are you worried for me, Kamui?”

 The platinum-blonde boy glanced at her with a sheepish blush. “I-I…well, it looked bad. Normally, you don’t fall when practicing.”

 “Not when you’re around,” she corrected before realizing he was staring in befuddlement. “When I work alone I’m often very clumsy,” the girl explained.

 “Ah, you mean when you dance in the woods every night?” Joker asked dully. “Yes, well, I do suppose you fall a lot there. You’re quite clumsy sometimes but it’s even worse out there.”

 “Joker!” Kamui hissed. The man gave him an unapologetic shrug.

 “I’m just saying…”

 “I had no idea anyone knew I worked there,” Aqua murmured with slight distress. “That’s not exactly an area I’d like to see anyone watching me in.”

 “Ah, well, I’m sure the whole camp has seen you practice already. It doesn’t take a late-sleeper like Lazward to notice you sneaking off into the forest at the same time each day.”

 Kamui felt the need to be defensive as the songstress fidgeted beside him. “And I’m sure you’re only making Aqua uncomfortable,” he sighed and turned to her. “Right?”

 The blue-haired girl shifted sideways. “I wouldn’t say that, it’s just…unnerving. The mere idea that people were watching my secret training sessions…well, I’m not sure that’s something I want to have in mind.”

 His butler looked at her curiously. “Well, if it makes it better for you, we could shut up and leave?” Joker looked at Felicia. “I mean, as good as it is to watch you practice your new dance here and there, I think it’s best we servants attend to the castle grounds. Those rose bushes won’t cut themselves.”

 Felicia looked stunned for a moment, almost thoughtful. “Geez, I almost forgot! We need to get going as soon as possible!” she nodded to the butler and then gave a wave to the two people in front of her. Despite her look of innocence, Kamui could see the look of knowing that laid itself upon her face. His stomach almost sank as she headed towards the room’s exit. “Please forgive us, but we need to get going!”

 Kamui reached out a hand for her but found himself stunned as both of his attendants rushed out of the room, Felicia with a brisk pace and Joker with a sly smile in his master’s direction. Kamui frowned, mouth slightly open, before he turned to Aqua. “A-Are you…okay with this?”

 She tilted her head at him. “With what? Them leaving unexpectedly? I know it’s odd that they’re suddenly more caught up with cutting rose bushes than attending their master’s side but…it always seems like they’re acting weird with you around.”

  _Or when both of us are around together_ ,he added with a mental sigh. As luck would have it, Joker was extremely eager to please him while Felicia, though appearing naïve to the untrained eye, approved of playing matchmaker. They were almost as bad as Izana, the latter of which loved to propose different weddings plans to Kamui. And, despite multiple rejections, the blond man insisted on the time of their marriage. He always blushed, stuttered, and then denied any sort of affections towards the beautiful dancer. But, as with everyone else who was not a songstress or a manakete, his efforts at lying were easily ousted by his scarlet cheeks and his insistence on their quietness whenever Aqua was around.

 “They’re…oddballs,” was all he could manage to respond.

 “Fufu, oddballs? Quite a description for two people so lovingly devoted to you,” she paused. “My, I’m almost jealous.”

 “Jealous?”

 “Well, to have so many people who love you…it’s almost unbelievable. Everyone adores you, you know. You’re a hero to the citizens, a noble in the eyes of your army and a brother that even two rivaling families can agree love on. It makes me envious. To have that sort of respect, well…I wouldn’t say it’s not something I want.”

 “But you _are_ respected!” he argued. “You played just as important a part in the Invisible War as I did! You sang for us, helped revive us in battle at our most desperate of moments! Without you, our army might as well have fallen before we even _touched_ Hydra!”

 Aqua shook her head. “But I only sang. That is nothing in comparison to what you have done. You rescued villagers, you united two warring kingdoms, you fought a god and you restored peace to the world. What I’ve done is mere child’s play.”

 “But if you hadn’t stopped Takumi with your voice he might as well have suffered from…well, his illness.”

 “That is true, but you know as well as I do that, without me, the problem would’ve ended as easily as if you had defeated Hydra on your own. I merely sped up the events that were to happen regardless,” she shrugged and took a step forward. “Regardless, you are not here to hear me talk about my insecurities. Rather, you wished to see me practice again, is that not right?”

 Briefly, he remembered the origin of his visitation. A few days before, Kamui had not even been interested in attending her practice sessions. He knew she held them in the auditorium (and, apparently, the forest as well) but he had never gained enough confidence to walk in on one of her sessions before. Kamui had known the other members of their army visited her training performances quite often, but he had been simply too cowardly to intrude upon one before. It was only after Elise had dragged him to the auditorium that he had been made a frequent visitor. And, as it seemed, the blue-haired girl didn’t mind that he, for once, had attended her dancing practice. Rather, she had seemed elated, eyes smiling and mouth insisting for him to come more often. He obliged and, as it was, had now become a regular ‘customer’ to her daily shows.

 Brought out of his thoughts by Aqua’s bemused gaze, he gave a reassuring smile. “Of course. You’re dancing is remarkably beautiful.”

 The words made her eyes gleam. “Thank you, Kamui,” she murmured, setting herself properly onto the stage. Her feet slid apart, hands braced in front of her, and she tilted her head at a slightly higher angle than normal. Then, she began singing.

 Just like all the other occasions upon which he had chanced her playing her songs, Kamui found himself entranced. The lyrics she had picked this round were different than her normal dancing tunes. Normally, they were of two varieties: hopeful and ominous. The former showed itself quite often, as her melodies were softer and brighter than anything, but the latter was a trump card that always caught her listener’s off-guard. But, as she swayed and twirled her way on the stage, he found that her notes were more distant, more careful. It felt to him as if she were being burdened with something, though the emotion passed behind the lyrics was not as decipherable to him as the expressions her dances normally gave. There was something saddening about it, but there was also a hidden sensation nested within that made his heart nervously skip a beat.

 The girl ran a hand through her hair, spun, and then sashayed around the brown stage with her calm gaze sliding from the empty room around her to the boy who stood on the very edge of her terrain. Her hands swung open as if to welcome him, hips sliding side to side, and she approached him with only a dash of hesitation. The girl paused in her song, caught his hand with her own, and then proceeded to drag him to the middle of the stage. When he made an effort to step away, her voice pleaded: “Dance with me.”

 Kamui blushed at the request. “A-Aqua!” he protested. “You know I can’t do _anything_ of the sort! I’m terrible at dancing!”

 “You might as well try.”

 “But-!”

 He was hushed by a finger to his lips.

 “Just one dance,” she asked. “Please?”

 Still blushing wildly, he agreed. Aqua took his other hand and led him carefully through the motions, singing as loudly as she had before. It almost felt awkward on his part, and he felt his silence as more of a burden on his part than the embarrassing choreography he gave her. Aqua didn’t complain though and instead she only encouraged him further with slight dips of her head and insistent tugs on his hands.

 Aqua spun him around, drew him close, and then stepped away. Her movements close to him were fleeting, but they were enough to catch the faint scent of blueberries that lingered around her person. It almost seemed to Kamui (or maybe he was just being delusional) that she was tempting him with her charms. The soft sashaying of her hips, the breath that just barely touched his face, as well as her wandering hand that occasionally strayed from his side to caress his cheeks…all her actions echoed of a hidden intent. But, just as found himself hoping, wishing, for some sort of hint that maybe, just maybe, she liked him too, the doors to the auditorium swung wide open.

 They broke apart, sweat just barely beginning to appear on his neck and her breath nearly vanquished. Their intruders – one purple-haired lady and a man of long, spiky dark brown hair – gave bland looks to the pair. The woman, however, gave Kamui an arching eyebrow that nearly sent his face into a blur of everything red.

 “Prince Kamui,” she spoke with absolute authority - a sign that something serious was up. “We need to speak with you in the royal chambers.”

 “Now, Camilla?” he asked, giving an almost longing look to Aqua. The girl was paying more attention to their visitors than she was to him, a mask of absolute calm overcoming her features.

 “It is required,” the woman sighed. He was almost startled that she made no attempt at teasing him. “Your older brothers seem to think so, anyways. To inform you of the matters at hand.”

 “What matters?” Aqua brushed her hand across the sides of her dress. “Hopefully none too serious?”

 “None of which you are involved in,” the lady stated bluntly. The songstress looked almost hurt by the emotionless response.

 “I…understand,” she said softly, turning to Kamui. “You should go with them now, then.”

 Kamui gave her a questioning look. “I’ll be back later, okay?”

 She returned it with a reassuring smile. “See you later.”

 “See you later,” he promised, allowing himself to be led out by Camilla and his older brother.

 Once the doors shut behind him, he couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed at Camilla’s teasing or, rather, lack of. The platinum blond boy scowled at his older sister. “Couldn’t you have been a little nicer to Aqua?”

 She looked slightly offended. “I was only stating the truth. This matter is not a matter for her to hear of. It is for you only and her being inquisitive in this manner would only harm the both of you.”

 He felt alarmed. “Why?”

 Ryouma, who had remained silent for the few moments that he had walked inside the auditorium, frowned. “That shall be something for us to say when we reach the royal chambers. For now, I don’t want the news reaching the ears of eavesdroppers.”

 The boy only felt more confused. “What news?”

 But his two siblings only answered him with silence, their footsteps the only noise to accompany his ears. He felt his heart crawl with uneasiness.

 Just _what_ did they want to talk about?

 ~~~

 The trip to the royal chambers was more agonizing than Kamui had expected it to be. The wait was unbearable and his siblings’ refusal to answer his pleas was all the more worrying. His anxiety was piqued. Was it possible that someone died? He didn’t think it possible, seeing as everyone he knew was stated to be within the confines of his castle. Then, perhaps, had the Touma reappeared? He didn’t think the invisible citizens would launch an attack if they did, but he couldn’t help but remember the countless times his sword sliced into one of them and the knowing that they were always watching in vengeful silence. Still, they were less likely to rise again than for Nosferatu to barge into the castle grounds. And, as Camilla had already stated, the matter pertained not only to him but to Aqua as well. Could it be that she was sick? Had her pendant poisoned her yet again? It hadn’t seemed that way to him when he had danced with her, but it could certainly be possible what with Camilla’s insistence to keep her out of the way.

 But before he could even ramble his questions out to his two siblings, before he could ask the questions that would answer his insecurities, Ryouma urged him into the throne room and slammed the doors behind them. There, Kamui saw who was waiting for him.

 His whole royal family had already gathered around his throne, chattering and murmuring and whispering words that were unintelligible to his ears. However, when the shutting doors called their attention, they halted in their secretive activities and observed him with wide, owl-like eyes. Even his younger brothers, who kept their emotions in constant reserve, regarded him with surprise.

 “Uh…hi?” he felt almost unnerved at the attention they were spreading upon him. “I’m here. What do you all want me for?”

 Elise approached him unsurely, her normal bubbliness quelled by small signs of fidgeting. Her fingers nervously intertwined in front of her. “Well, brother, you see…”

 “You’re getting engaged,” Takumi spoke without regard for his voice. Elise winced while Camilla whispered “oh, dear” under her breath.

 Kamui could only feel shock numbing his system. “Engaged?”

 “There’s _one_ way to go about telling your brother he’s getting a fiancée,” Hinoka muttered, kicking Takumi’s ankle. The gray-haired boy drew away from the Pegasus rider and shrugged.

 “He was going to find out anyways,” he said, “might as well give it to him straight.”

 “Engaged?” Kamui repeated. “To who?”

 “To a proper fiancée,” Marx looked at him apologetically. “We had meant to discuss it with you earlier, but we found it better to talk among ourselves in the mean time.”

 “But…engaged?” he asked, a sense of annoyance creeping into him. “What it I don’t _want_ to be engaged?”

 “Trust me, we want to do what’s best for you, brother,” the blonde man said swiftly. The rest of his siblings looked uncomfortable. “And we’ve decided an arranged engagement – as well as a marriage, later on - was the best way to settle things. In all honesty, you need someone at your side. You’re royalty too, and every prince needs an eventual queen at his side. Of course, by arranging such a thing, it would be absolutely scandalous to have you chase affections for another women. I’m sure your future wife would not abide by it.”

 He stared at Marx for a few, long seconds before looking bitterly at the ground. “You mean Aqua.”

 Marx didn’t deny it. “On evening of one day from now, you are to meet your bride to be. However, until then, I would like it if you did not attend to your fancies. As we have already all agreed, you are not to elope with some other women under our watchful eyes.”

 Leon sniggered at that line but was promptly silenced by a fierce glare from Takumi. The blonde boy sighed. “We’re actually very sincere about this and we’re going to keep you monitored to ensure that no…elopement…occurs.”

 “You…can’t be serious,” Kamui shook his head. “This is a joke, right?”

 “The engagement and marriage is not,” Ryouma affirmed. “The eloping part can be identified as such, however. Though we do not wish you to run off with another.”

 “This is hard to take in,” the boy took a step back. “How do you even know I’m okay with this…women that I’m supposedly marrying?”

 “You’ll get used to her,” his blonde older brother sighed. “Trust me.”

 “But I don’t even know her!” Kamui snapped.

 Ryouma shook his head. “This is vital to the success of your line. Just as our own marriages helped the expansion of our ruined kingdoms so must yours.”

 “But that’s completely different!” he turned to Marx. “ _You_ married Charlotte because you loved her,” he turned to Ryouma and Camilla. “ _You two_ married each other because you loved the way the other is,” Kamui looked at Takumi and Leon. “Takumi, you married Elise because you fancied her and Leon, _you_ took Sakura’s hand because you held a major crush on her since we united the kingdoms. And, Hinoka, you took to Tsubaki because he was the first one you felt affections for. And, for those reasons, how come I can’t pick my own choice in a spouse but you guys _can_?”

 Marxs’ face, as well as the rest of his adopted siblings’, went bright crimson. The older man’s hand went to the bridge of his nose where he pinched it in exasperation. “Kamui, try to understand, we’re doing this for you sake. Don’t argue with us. You’ll understand in a days’ time but, for now, _please calm you temper tantrum_. Honestly, this was just decided today and I will not have you fuming about it outside these chambers. This manner is to be held in silent regard; no one is to know of this decision aside from us, you, and the girl you are to be marrying.”

 “Who?” he asked.

 The warrior turned away. “You will find out soon enough.”

 ~~~

 Kamui was shooed away from the chambers by his siblings with an urgent warning placed upon his head. He was not to tell anyone about the engagement or arranged marriage. If he did so, then he was sure to suffer. Most likely, he assumed, Camilla would chance his crush with the news and, alongside it, that he had held a pathetic, puppy-dog affection towards her since he first saw her dance. Not only would his life crumple into little pieces but also he would probably be forced to watch his crush being told so. The reaction on her face would be imminent: she’d look at him with shock and then disgust after. He was sure of it. So, as his siblings had directed, he’d keep quiet. If one slip of the tongue proved as fatal as he thought, then it was also likely the teasing of his subjects would be heartlessly cruel.

 Still, he couldn’t help but want to see Aqua again. He knew his siblings would disapprove – they had already mentioned that any form of ‘elopement’ was severely punishable – but the urge to relate his feelings was still bubbling within him. And, though he saw Aqua as a person of his best affections, he also saw her as someone he could work things out with. Their friendship had lasted years since they first met, and one foundation that it was built upon was their mutual willingness to listen to each other. Any troubles they had found, any burdens that they were unable to carry alone, they unloaded on each other. Bouncing back advice had been a thing between them, and to be denied that opportunity in the midst of his own internal calamity was a cruel thing on his sibling’s parts.

 “Brother! Brother, wait up!”

 The blond boy paused in his thoughts to see Elise running up to him, eyes wide and breathing ragged. He noted in the back of his mind that he had somehow traveled from the front of the castle grounds to the middle of it without much notice of his pace. But, now that he found that fact apparent, Kamui realized his breathing was almost as heavy as his sister’s. He turned to Elise with a frown. “What?”

 “I want to say that we’re sorry for springing this on you, we truly are!” she cried, throwing her arms around him. “Please, don’t be mad at us! We aren’t trying to be mean!”

 He let out a sigh and ruffled her hair. “I’ll admit I’m mad but, honestly, it couldn’t hurt to tell me beforehand.”

 “But we knew you’d act like this,” Elise pouted. “It’s no secret that you like Aqua and we were just so afraid of telling you for that reason alone. But, honestly, we don’t mean harm. We just…well, we just want to make you happy.”

 “By marrying me to a stranger?”

 She went quiet. “Honestly, brother, you’ll like her.”

 “You can’t be sure of that,” and he strolled forward. “I’m going to see Aqua.”

 A force grabbed at his arm and jerked him back. “You can’t!” she tugged at him. “You can’t see her right now! You’re…well, you’re _engaged,_ ” she whispered the last word. “If you see her now, you’re essentially going to be violating our contract with your fiancée. And do you really want Aqua to know what’s going on right now? What if she likes you? If she hears this she’ll probably be really hurt.”

 “And what if she doesn’t?” the words tasted like bile on his tongue. “What if she doesn’t even like me?”

 “If she doesn’t then you’ll find out right away,” Elise tugged again. “Please, you’re only going to hurt her or yourself if you talk to her! Let her be.”

 He stared at her for a long while. The blonde girl looked back pleadingly, eyes glistening and not a flicker of guilt lay behind them. Kamui took in a small breath and sighed. “Alright, you win,” he let her linger in her moment of satisfaction before continuing. “But, tell me, why are you truly here?”

 Elise looked confused. “What?”

 “Surely my brothers sent you here to keep an eye on me?”

 Her look of puzzlement turned into a sheepish grin. “Can’t hide everything, I guess,” she said with a scuff of her shoe on the grassy ground beneath her. “Yeah, Takumi sent me here to watch you. He wanted to make sure you didn’t talk with anyone.”

 “Of course,” Kamui cursed under his breath. “He always was the cautious one in our family.”

 “And Leon too!” the girl said beside him. “He never takes a risk he knows he can’t ever handle alone.”

 “And I suppose he agreed to Takumi’s demand for you to guard me?”

 “Yep!”

 “Figures that the one time they get along is when it comes to doing something against me,” Kamui sighed and then approached a large tree. He turned to Elise. “Are you going to follow me into my room?”

 She blushed crimson. “Oh heavens no! I will only allow myself to guard your room but I don’t ever intend to enter it unless you say so!”

 “Alright, alright, I get it,” he patted her on the head and began ascending the tree via the ladder than hung from it.

 Elise followed behind him, slowly climbing her way up until both of them reached the wooden deck that snaked towards a miniature house. Pausing at the edge of the deck, Kamui glanced out to look at his castle. It almost seemed peaceful to him and, if not for his internal chaos, he might’ve taken the time to appreciate the sun that settled on the edge of the horizon. However, tired and weary, he decided to retire to his room. Elise followed him briefly before pausing midway between the ladder and the door, planting her feet firmly and gazing out distantly.

 “I’ll watch from here,” she said absently.

 “I don’t even see why you need to watch me in the first place.”

 “It’s to make sure you don’t elope.”

 He pinched his nose. “I _highly_ doubt I’m going to elope with anyone.”

 She shrugged. “You never know. Maybe a blue-haired dancer will catch your interest.”

 The boy gave her an angered stare and Elise winced. “Sorry,” the girl said, “it’s not quite the right time to talk about that is it?. Have fun sleeping.”

 He took her apology with a nod and entered his room. Once the door closed behind him, his shoulders slumped and he could only shuffle to his bed. Shock nipped at him, betrayal gnawed at his bones, and he could only feel upset that his siblings had come upon a decision without even accepting his opinions. Overall, he was hurt, and he wasn’t sure what to do.

 “Oh well,” he frowned and slid onto his side, head digging into his pillow as his hand reached for his sheets. “In one day, all I’ll be is some prince who married someone I don’t even know.”

 His childish words would’ve sounded stupid to his ears had he uttered them earlier in the day but as of now, all he could think was that they sounded so right in his current situation.

 ~~~

 When he awoke, he was greeted by Joker and Felicia. Kamui groaned. “So I’m guessing you guys know about this whole thing as well?”

 “The…engagement?” Felicia asked. He nodded and she looked sheepish. “Yes, we were eavesdropping. The royal family has quite a way of making its subjects curious and we were the two who volunteered to listen in. Of course, we reported false information to everyone else. We told them that the royal family only wanted to surprise Foleo for his birthday when in reality you’re getting a…well, um, an _engagement_.”

 Joker shushed her and she looked at him incredulously. “What? Can I not tell Master that we already know of his situation?”

 "No, that’s fine,” he glanced around. “But the walls have ears.”

 Felicia looked at her opposite with disapproval. “Wow. I didn’t know you were so paranoid, Joker.”

 “I’m not,” he snapped. “But it’s hard to keep Master Kamui’s secret when we have four dogs running around and warriors with _impossible_ hearing playing hide-and-seek when they see fit. Who knows when they could be listening in on us?”

 “It’s six o’ clock in the morning,” Felicia hissed back. “Whose even awake at this time?”

 “Us,” Kamui sighed with a yawn. “And you’re the ones who are going to wake up the entire neighborhood.”

 “Ah! My apologies, Master,” Felicia gave a small awkward bow.

 “Don’t do that,” she immediately straightened and chuckled at his disapproving look. He allowed a small smile at her before turning to Joker. “What do my siblings have planned for me today?”

 “They want to take you to the accessory shop.”

 “Accessory shop?”

 “They claim you’re lacking in fit garments. Don’t ask, I have no clue either,” Joker added hastily, turning in the area of their sparring grounds. “Regardless, I believe Master Leon would like us to be there as soon as possible considering his fondness for people being on time.”

 He gave a hesitant nod, feeling annoyance at the name of his sibling. “Right. Let’s go.”

 ~~~

 Upon arriving at the accessory shop, Kamui was met by both Leon and his son. Foleo was standing alongside the blonde man with a bright smile, and his expression grew even brighter as the older prince approached. He met Kamui almost shyly. “So, you’re here to get a suit?” he asked. When faced with a questioning stare Foleo turned almost puzzled. “You did want one, right? Father told me you wanted your measurements for a suit this morning.”

 From the corner of his eyes, Felicia and Joker retreated out of view. He assumed they were attending to other matters now that Leon had Kamui in his sights.

 “I wanted nothing of the sort,” he sent a glare in the direction of his younger brother but Leon merely shrugged. “Rather, I wonder why a suit is really necessary for something so… _arranged._ ”

 “Please, you know what it’s for, brother,” the blonde man sighed. “And Foleo was more than willing to help you and waste his time by doing so. I’d suggest you not complain when he could clearly be attending to a more willing customer.”

 “I don’t mind,” Foleo spoke up politely. “Besides, nobody wants anything from me right now. Now that people aren’t tearing up their clothes in battle, most have little to no requests for fixing or designing garments. Plus, I’ve always wanted to try my hand at a suit! They’re not as cutesy as I’d like them to be but if I add a flower in just the right position I might be able to-“

 “Alright, alright. If you don’t mind, maybe we should begin the measuring process?” Leon cut him off with a nod.

 Foleo realized he had been rambling and nervously played with the ends of his clothing. “Okay, father,” he glanced in Kamui’s direction. “If you don’t mind, of course?”

 “I have no choice in the matter so, sure. Go ahead.”

 “Then come with me!”

 The gray-haired boy took up Kamui’s hand and led him into a corner of the accessory shop. There, he proceeded to take out a measuring tape and circled Kamui with intensive calculation and hands movements that went almost too fast for the prince to keep up with. When he was done, he told Kamui to stay in place while he wandered off, murmuring to himself. Leon, falling into probable routine, followed his son to another space with the words “designer’s room” labeled on the top of the wooden doorframe. Relieved of his ‘guard’, Kamui took to wandering the shop almost thoughtfully.

 Rows of dolls lined up the large shop, each figure sporting accessories which no doubt reflected the stock within. There were hats and shoes and other miscellaneous things like small bits of armor and feather bracelets. There was even items that directly mimicked the garments that members of his army wore like the exact bow Charlotte had fitted on her head or even the head-dress piece that Lilith was fitted with in human form. In thoughtful consideration, he took each sample of clothing into his hands, observed it with quiet interest, before depositing it back onto a doll and moving to the next round of garments. When he landed upon a doll with a cape suspiciously similar to that of the traveler Lucina, he found that he was not alone in the shop.

 Without his noticing, Lazward and Odin had entered upon the store. Both subordinates were talking and laughing, floating casually from piece of clothing to piece of clothing until they settled in front of a figure with golden gloves set upon it. Odin took notable interest of them, looking almost wistful as he slid them on. However, it wasn’t until a slight change in dialogue that Kamui began eavesdropping on them.

 “Aw, Odin! You should have seen the theater, empty and lifeless! I went there this morning to chance upon our lovely songstress but it seems fate has once again eluded my hand in marriage. To think that Aqua, of all our devoted members, would miss a session of practice is a good reason for heartbreak indeed!”

 At the mention of his crush, Kamui couldn’t help but wander over to them. “What happened to Aqua?” he inquired.

 Lazward nearly jumped out of his boots while Owain glanced at his friend with a knowing look. The gray-haired man blushed immensely in embarrassment. “Ah, Prince Kamui,” said with startled surprise. “I’m afraid I know just as much as you have heard. I visited the theater today but it seems like she wasn’t there. I wonder if she got sick again? I heard from Takumi that the it was possible what with her late night practices and all, but, still...Ah, but! I’m sure she’s fine,” the gray-haired man added when he noticed Kamui’s worried face. “Elise was with her last time I saw her so I’m sure everything is nice and well.”

 “I…hope so,” he responded softly. Inwardly, he wondered if Aqua had waited too long for him. He _had_ promised to visit her later after the meeting had taken place but due to his sibling’s insistence on the marriage policy, he hadn’t been able to see her. Now, he felt almost sick and worthless. To have to put her through that, to have her waiting…if that was truly a possibility of why she had abandoned her favorite place to train, he was unsure if he’d be able to face her again.

 “The reason for Aqua’s disappearance is no reason for your concern, Prince Kamui,” Leon strode into the accessory shop and gave a sharp glance in the blond’s direction. Foleo followed behind him with a suit in tow. “As it is, you are here only for the suit me and my son have tailored for you. Your concern for the former Nohrian and Hoshidan princess is of no needed notice in my presence. Or have you forgotten why we are here in the first place?”

 He opened his mouth to retort but was promptly cut off by another voice. “Wow!” Lazward said and inspected the suit with intrigue. “Are you getting married, Kamui?”

 “Do you really think a subordinate such as yourself is allowed to nose his way into the affairs of the royal family?”

 The man scowled. “Technically, I am only under the command of Marx himself. If you wish to command me, then I’m afraid you’ll have to take it up with your _older_ brother, Milord.”

 “And this older brother insists you take your nose out of this business.”

 Lazward leaped again, spinning around to come (almost) face-to-face with a blond man. Marx scowled at his subordinate while Odin gave his friend a sly grin. Lazward crumpled under his commander, face paling. There was a flicker of defiance in his eyes but it was quickly diminished when Marx gave an obvious cough. Sighing, the gray-haired mercenary took the arm of his friend (who quickly uttered in complaint) and retreated from the shop. When the door had shut behind them, Marx turned to his younger brothers and eyed the suit in Foleo’s hands. “That’s a nicely made suit,” he said thoughtfully.

 “Isn’t it?” Foleo smiled and held it up. “Father made most of it with magic. He took cotton and black dye and conjured the pieces needed for me. ‘Course, I sewed up most of it with my own hands but I also made the pretty pink flower on the breast pocket. I’m not a fan of anything so handsome but the flower definitely makes up for it! Isn’t it lovely?”

 “It certainly is,” Leon ruffled his son’s hair. “I just hope Kamui likes the suit.”

 The murderous tone embedded within made the older prince doubt his answer. “It’s okay,” he managed, trying not to sound spiteful of the fact that it was a suit for an arranged marriage and not for that of his own planning. “I mean, I certainly couldn’t do better.”

 “You’re skill with a needle is like a blacksmith’s skill with cooking,” Leon murmured. “You kept pricking your own finger before you could even put the thread through the loop.”

 “I was _seven_ ,” the prince countered. “And Elise was much worse than me. She kept losing her needle in the hay though Hydra knows why she was even practicing on a haystack to begin with!”

 Marx chuckled. “A needle in the haystack indeed,” he tilted his head. “Regardless, I am here for other matters. Have you tried on the suit yet?”

 “Not yet…”

 “Then you should try it on,” his older brother encouraged.

 Foleo looked excited. “Yes, yes. In fact, I have a private area for customer’s if you’d like to try it out there?”

 “Uh…sure?”

 “Great!” and he lead Kamui into his own separate stall with the suit placed warmly in his hands.

 Kamui watched as the stall door shut behind him, and all he could think to do was give up and place the clothing onto his person.

 ~~~

 The suit was surprisingly fitting, molding onto his body like a sort of second skin. It was almost eerie how much detail Foleo had threaded into it, from the turned-in cuffs with traces of golden string to the neatly fitted pants around his legs and the rose quartz colored lily that poked out from his breast pocket. He inspected it with a hand, almost shocked at how life-like the item was. Soft petals almost identifiable the real ones slightly curled at the tips, black flecks adorning their surface. Little stamens of green filtered out from the middle while narrow leaves slid out from underneath. It was like he had become bound to a living flower and, in a way, it also felt like he was being bound to an invisible woman with an unwanted thread of fate. He couldn’t help but imagine Aqua in her place, red curling around her pinky just as it would with his.

 “Are you done yet?” Leon’s voice filtered in from the other side of the stall. “Because, honestly, I don’t think it takes ten minutes to put on a suit.”

 Kamui emerged from the space. “Well, I don’t think a suit was even necessary in the first place.”

 “Brother, I understand your frustration. But the ceremony _must_ be upheld today. We’ve stalled it for long enough and, by now, I’m sure your wife must be sick of waiting for you.”

 From beside Leon, Foleo gasped in surprise.

 “She can wait longer.”

 “She _cannot_. This evening, regardless of your feelings for anyone else, you are to meet her in the royal chambers. There, you will both takes vows and exit the building to meet your people. After all, both the new queen and king of the Invisible Kingdom must be present if its citizens are to be satisfied.”

 “You talk like you don’t even care.”

 Leon faltered. “I do care,” he said softly, tone turning dull. “And you will too.”

 Kamui faced him with defiance. “You don’t know that.”

 “ _Enough_ ,” Marx strolled between them. “I don’t want to hear anymore of your petty squabbling. Kamui, how is the suit?”

 “It…fits me quite well,” the platinum blond prince couldn’t help but Foleo looking proudly at his father’s side. “The flower’s especially well-done.”

 “Good,” Marx nodded in approval. “Then I suppose you’ll be ready for the wedding tonight.”

 He went quiet and the older man slowly placed a hand onto his shoulder, reassuring. “Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “I’m sure she’ll make a lovely wife.”

 Kamui bit into his bottom lip and turned away. From the corner of his vision, Leon and Marx looked worried, exchanging looks that signaled their guilt. They remained silent for a bit until Foleo leaned forward, bright-eyed and smiling broadly.

 “You’re getting _married?_ ” the gray-haired boy seemed in awe. “I never would’ve thought, you always seemed more like the bachelor type.”

 “Well, looks don’t always match expectations. For example, your siblings could prove to be worthy allies in battle but forcibly expectant in reality,” he noticed his two Nohrian brothers flinch. “Or, in another case, they might be expecting a woman whom you have no clue about to marry you. All in all, looks are _very_ deceiving.”

 Foleo nodded slowly, no doubt having pieced together the anger in his words and its relation to his father and older uncle. He was quickly silenced by a few quick words from Leon and then ushered out of the shop. When his son left the store, the man turned to Marx with eyebrows pinched. “Has Camilla already set everything into action?” he asked.

 The Nohrian king shook his head. “She said she’d be done this evening afternoon. It’ll take a few more hours for them to be ready.”

 “Then what should we do while we wait?”

  _Ignore your brother, of course,_ Kamui thought with a tug of his cape. _Obviously being upset means nothing to them._

 “I propose we take a gander at sparring in the barracks before a trip to the hot springs. Plus, afterwards, we can probably take a visit around the castle or even perform a round of shop minding. We only have eight hours to kill.”

 “You make it sound easy, Marx,” Leon sighed. “Why not add a skirmish in there? I have hear bandits are at our borders again and it would take up an efficient amount of time to sort out the problem beforehand.”

 “…If you say so,” the paladin shook his head but offered a smile to Kamui. “If you don’t mind?”

 “Why not?” the boy gave a distant shrug. “What else do I have to look forward to?”

 His older brother’s face creased with worry but he did not touch the subject. Instead, he continued to speak. “I will send Takumi, his retainers, my own, and Elise to aid you. And, seeing as Pieri already has her husband and Oboro’s been engaged, we can guarantee that you will not seek to take another’s hand.”

 "Wow,” Kamui spoke with sarcasm. “You must really trust me.”

 To their credit, they didn’t flinch. Instead, they insisted on urging him out of his suit and out of the shop with his armor on. Then, they ushered Kamui towards the castle gates where, inevitably they would ride out to the sight of the skirmish.

 ~~~

 Upon arriving five hours later (and with a few detours), Kamui was almost surprised to recognize the sight of the bandit’s terrain. It was the same area where he, former prince of both Hoshido and Nohr, had taken up his oath against his siblings. The battlefield was an area of great significance to him and, even now, he could remember his siblings standing before him and begging him for his hand. He had refused and fled with Felicia and Aqua to another land. Though he had started as a coward in the beginning, running away from two choices he could never make, everything had somehow ended up right. Marx and Ryouma, head kings of Nohr and Hoshido respectively, reached a peace treaty and offered full rights to Kamui as the soon-to-be-king of the Invisible Kingdom. It was almost strange that, now, one year ago, he was a king of a peaceful world where, in the past, he had been the prince of two warring nations. Irony at its finest, he supposed, to go from stolen royalty to the only royalty left of a forgotten country (barring Aqua, of course).

 Takumi clapped him on the shoulder and the boy glanced into the eyes of his younger brother with annoyance. The gray-haired man frowned. “Keep your eyes out for bandits, okay? It’d be bad for you to be stricken down by some random villain rather than in your old age. Pay attention, will you?”

 “If you say so,” Kamui sighed, glancing out into the area. “But…I don’t see any bandits.”

 “Pieri sees no bandits either,” a blue-and-pink-haired girl sighed, holding a lance nervously in her hands. “Too bad too, ‘cause Pieri wanted to stab things today.”

 “Calm down there, Pieri. I highly doubt they’re going to just _appear_ ,” Lazward spoke with a smile, though his hand remained tightly on the handle of his sword.

 “If they do, I’ve got my staves all nice and ready!” Elise chimed.

 Hinata and Oboro merely sat in silence, serving as the lookouts for the group. They were near motionless, eyes captivated with the soon-to-be battlefield. He was almost unsure if they had pledged to watch the area because Takumi commanded them so or because they were infinitely bored. He assumed that the reason was a little of both what with the way Oboro kept glancing sheepishly at Takumi and the way Hinata kept sighing. They hardly stirred otherwise, almost like trees not yet blown by wind.

 After a moment, however, they flashed to life. Both lookouts reached for their weapons, Oboro with her lance and Hinata with his sword. Reacting out of instinct, the rest of the appointed party dragged out their own weapons. Takumi raised his bow, eyes scouring the field below, while Pieri and Lazward rushed to the form a line of defense in front of Elise. Kamui joined them, holding his sword high as a gang of ruffians approached.

 “Aye, ain’t this a sight?” one spoke with crooked teeth peeking out from underneath bloodied lips. “The crown princes of Hoshido are standin’ before us. Let’s say we have at ‘em and take their belongin’s for a pretty penny?”

 “You’ll do nothing of the sort!” Takumi snapped back. “Lowlifes like you only put a stain on the reputation of a more prouder and fiercer people!”

 “Aye, a fighter,” the man raised his axe and tossed it. Hinata immediately deflected it and the man sent him a scowl. “Resistance already? Guess we’re gonna have to do this the hard way. Let’s fight ‘em royals!”

 His men took up a resounding cry and charged forward. The response from Kamui’s side was immediate. Takumi began to rapidly nock and fly the arrows from the bag on his back. Lazward and Hinaka double-teamed a pair of bandits while Oboro and Pieri worked together to oust a group on Pieri’s horse. Elise managed to reserve her distance while tending to the minor wounds of the soldiers. Kamui worked on his own group, defying the help of Takumi as he slashed his way through the crooks with Yatogami. If anything, the battle served as a welcome distraction for him, and he greeted it with open arms, hacking at blood-soaked armor and skillfully dodging unfocused swings. It was almost nice to be in battle. Here, he could pretend to be just a soldier, just a man whose sole job was to defend his country and not to lead it out from the brink of devastation. To be a common ally to a national army instead of the prince who agonized over his arranged marriage. Here, he could be free of any alias and here, he could be just another army man who had been sent off to fight.

 A stray arrow nicked his cheek. The prince turned with blazing eyes to the offender, glaring hotly at the archer who had his bow readied for yet another projectile. It launched and Kamui deflected it, sword tossing the piece aside while his weapon sent the man flying back and unconscious. His buddies, who saw the defeat of their buddy as a sign of pure aggression, raised up their axes and tomes and launched flurries of attacks. Kamui countered the attacks with easy accuracy, slashing at balls of ozone and holding his sword up to block any stabs with lances or axes or even knives. It wasn’t until he felt a warm radiance enter his body did he bother to notice that the skirmish had ended as quickly as it had started.

 “Geez, that took forever!” Pieri led Oboro off her mount and then proceeded to approach them with blood dripping from her lance. “Pieri definitely needs a bath now because bandit blood isn’t good for Pieri!”

 “Yes, yes,” Lazward settled his sword in his sheathe. “I think we’ll all need one soon. Elise, how’s the healing going for my leg?”

 “Give me a second!” the blonde girl raised her staff from Hinata’s side and walked over to him with a scowl. “Here, Mister Demanding!”

 Green light emanated from the quartz crystal, washing over Lazward and circling upon his leg. The illumination pulsed for a few brief seconds before disappearing. The gray-haired mercenary gave a sigh that ended in his cheeks being dusted with pink when he realized they were watching him. “What?” he asked. “My wounds always feel better after being healed by a healer.”

 Pieri snorted. “And Pieri thinks you are weird, regardless.”

 “I’m not weird!” he protested. The looks his fellow party gave him suggested otherwise. He blushed. “I’m totally not…”

 Takumi cleared his throat and they all turned to face him. Even Kamui gave his sibling a distant stare, attention wavering. “Now that we’ve spent most of our noon preparing for this battle and now that it’s been fought, I suggest we head back to Kamui’s Castle for a, ah, bath. Are we all in agreement?” Nods. “Good, then please go back at once. Kamui, stay here. I need to talk to you for a moment.”

 Everyone aside from the two brothers gave curious looks to the pair. However, before they could be snapped at, they sauntered away with quick steps. When they were far enough away, Takumi spoke in a soft and slightly considerate voice. “It’s almost time,” he said. “Are you ready?”

 Kamui was almost stricken by the voice Takumi used. “As if you really care.”

 “I do,” the boy murmured. “But there’s nothing I can do or say right now that will change your opinion of me. So, just wait. Wait to see your new wife before you pass judgment on her.”

 “I…” Kamui hesitated, his defenses lowering just as Takumi’s tone took a lighter turn. “I well, I...it’s hard, Takumi. It’s hard, knowing that I’m getting married. Especially to someone I don’t even know.”

 His brother went silent. “You’ll see soon,” he whispered. “Just, come with me. Come back to the castle. It’s almost time for you to meet her.”

 “If it’s almost time, then how do you expect us to get back? It’s at least an hour’s walk to get back to the nearest teleportation square.”

 “I have a pass from Lilith into the castle,” he responded without pause, holding up a small glowing bead. “If you agree to meet her now then I can send us back. Honestly, I don’t wish to force you to comply,” he spoke with a rare show of compassion, “but I insist you at least _see_ her. Your fiancee deserves that much respect at the minimum.”

 Kamui found himself listening to his brother’s advice. “I…fine. I’ll see her. I…don’t want to but, if it’s a reason to be polite, then I should do it. Maybe you’ll see then that I’m not fit to take a queen.”

 There was a long pause of time between the two before Takumi uttered a sound. It came out as a small coughing noise but swiftly escalated into a piercing laughter. Kamui stared, bewildered, and it was only when his younger brother quieted himself that he asked the question burning on his lips. “What is so funny?”

 “The irony,” his brother murmured, holding the bead above his head. “It’s just too ironic to suggest you won’t take her as your bride.” He dropped the sphere and a magic circle opened underneath their feet. “Now, let’s go and meet her!”

 The circle’s magic crawled up their feet, swirled around their legs, twisted around their bodies, and curled up the tips of their hair. When the power had consumed them fully and the light blinded their eyes, they awakened to the sight of Kamui’s throne in front of them. They had landed in the Invisible Kingdom’s royal chambers. No doubt this was where Takumi and the rest intended for him to meet his fiancée/wife-to-be.

 His suspicions were confirmed when Takumi headed for the door. “Now, don’t leave this room. I’ll tell Camilla to get her ready. Stay here, okay?”

 Kamui nodded. “Okay.”

 “It won’t be long, I promise, brother.” Takumi smiled reassuringly. “We’ll be back with her soon. Everything else has already been set up so, don’t worry. Oh, and put that suit on, will you?”

 “What’s been set up?” he questioned but the man had already slipped past the door and shut it behind him. The boy wondered if he should chase after him. He cleared such notions away in an instant, almost uncomfortable of the idea of breaking his word. Instead, Kamui forced himself to observe his surroundings while he waited in pensive silence.

 Unlike when he had last visited it, the royal chambers had been decorated with different accessories from what he had last seen. The walls, which were normally set to a pale tanish color, had now accepted banners of white across its surface. Vases adorned with ruby and sapphire roses were spread out across all horizontal surfaces, barring the throne itself, and a carpet of crimson rolled all the way to the tip of the golden carved chair. It was almost unsettling how much detail had been put into the decorations, and he wondered half-heartedly if Joker or Foleo had been asked to set up the designs. They always were considered the most-attention-to-detail types. _All this meticulous work done just for me,_ he traced the polished edges of the throne chair’s arms, guilt pulsing in him. _To think that they went this far…it almost makes me regret that I now wish for this marriage to be cancelled. It’s not that I want to be married it’s just…I wish to…to marry Aqua_. His heart skipped a beat and his cheeks reddened but, inwardly, he knew the thoughts reflected his true feelings. As much as he wanted to deny it, his emotions for the blue-haired dancer were tried and true.

 His hands met the suit laid out before him and his eyes traced over it distantly. He picked it up and began to exchange his own clothing for the garments placed in front of him. He swapped his armor for a white shirt, his cape for the top half of the black fabric, and his leggings for the black pants that fit nicely around his legs. The shoes and the tie were the last things he slipped on, calloused feet meeting cushioned ground while red slipped around his neck. He glanced in a conveniently placed mirror and found his duplicated image respectable. Kamui did not linger in his vanity, though, and took to wandering around the room. 

 The sound of footsteps. _That was fast,_ Kamui reflected with sudden alertness. He pondered the possibility of Camilla having worked quicker then expected. He had known she was fond of these things, but he also knew that she was very efficient at going things when she had a high motivation to do so. He paused in the middle of the throne room, waiting for his enigmatic fiancée to stroll her way through the doors. As he did, voices drifted in his direction.

 “Camilla, with all due respect, you don’t have to push me. I’m in no hurry to meet him.”

 Kamui’s eyebrows furrowed. That voice…it sounded familiar.

 “Oh, honey, just you wait,” his older sister purred back. “I bet he can’t wait to see your new practices in action.”

 The person’s voice faltered. “But that’s…that’s not meant for him to see it’s not meant for-”

 He could’ve sworn he recognized whoever was speaking. A brief list fluttered through his mind. Kagerou, Velour, Orochi…his thoughts lingered on then notion, trying to pinpoint the voice on the other side of the wall.

 His fingers fidgeted with the ends of his suit, suddenly apprehensive.

 The woman cut off his new fiancée with a laugh. “It’s meant for another, right?” a slight pause in time in which he assumed she nodded ‘yes’. “But you shouldn’t worry about him. You’re getting engaged to this man so, shouldn’t you put your time and effort towards something more viable? I’m sure you’re husband-to-be would appreciate it.”

 “I don’t even know him though,” Kamui chuckled bitterly at the complaint. They were the same words he had uttered time and time again to his siblings.

 Camilla offered nothing. “Just meet him, will you? I know this isn’t your preference but you could at least try.”

 Now she was speaking the same way his brothers had spoken. A bit of sympathy drifted in the mystery woman’s direction. It seemed that she thought the same things he did; had the same insecurities he did. He had assumed that his fiancée had been informed beforehand of their engagement, what with the suggestions his adopted family had given him, but it appeared that she was just unaware of his partner as he was with her.

 Their footsteps grew closer and, with it, his heartbeat drummed in anticipation. Even if he held pity towards her, there were things he’d still have to say. Things like “this probably won’t work” or even, “I already like another” or maybe, “I don’t think it’s in your best interest to do this”. He could only imagine her reaction. Surprise at first. Probably anger and disgust next, for having wasted her time. Then a mixed batch of possibilities that would only end one way or another. She could be sad, she could be happy, she could be unsure, she could be many things. Though, the one thing she could never be was the one he wished for so much, the mystery woman could never be…

 The doors before him flew open and a woman draped in silver and blue walked forward.

 … _Aqua._

Well, that explained why the mystery woman had sounded so familiar.

 The blue-haired dancer regarded him with a mixture of wide-eyed emotions. Shock, frustration, horror, pity, helpless, anxious, dreadful and…hopeful. She brought up her hands to her chest, confusion riddling her features. She turned from him to Camilla and then to the rest of Kamui’s siblings, each of which were regarding the pair with vaguely read postures of amusement. Aqua faltered, her golden eyes turning from the prince to his family just as his eyes swept from her person to the one’s of his siblings. “I…I don’t understand,” Aqua said softly. “Why is Kamui here?”

 He echoed her words. “Why is Aqua here?”

 “Isn’t it obvious?” Leon snickered, eyebrows raised up. “We did say you two were to be engaged and married. Aren’t you happy?”

 Realization struck through them both. Kamui glared at his family. “But I thought you said Aqua was _not_ to be my wife and that I wasn’t to elope with her.” Said girl glanced at him with pale pink pasted onto her face.

 “We never _said_ that,” Takumi laughed. “You just _implied_ it. Rather amusing, too. All this time you thought you were being wedded to some secretive woman when, in reality, you’re being wedded to your secret little _crush_.”

 The boy’s face burst into bright crimson. “T-Takumi!” he cried, purposely turning away from Aqua. He didn’t want to see her reaction. Even if they were to be engaged together, he still didn’t want to see the disgust that would inevitably be painted on her features. “You weren’t supposed to talk about that!”

 Camilla grinned like a cat, her gaze turning from him to the girl beside him. “Oh, don’t worry though, little brother. You’re not the only one who’s held a crush on the other for such a long time.”

 Kamui’s eyes widened and he approached Aqua almost awkwardly. The dancer looked troubled, stricken, and her gaze turned to his unsurely. His voice grew soft as he inquired: “You had a crush on me?”

 She nodded slowly, embarrassed. “For a long time,” she murmured. “I can’t help it. You’re one of the only ones I can relate to and who actually listens to me. I…I didn’t think it was reciprocated though.”

 “It is,” he murmured, wrapping his arms fondly around her and placing a kiss on her lips. She looked back, startled, before returning it back clumsily. When a few moments between them had passed, Kamui’s siblings coughed with great bolume. They broke apart sheepishly while his sisters and brothers looked on with proud smiles.

 Elise hummed to herself with a sly smirk. Her maroon eyes glanced over to her new sister-in-law. “Aqua,” she chimed. “Don’t you have a dance to perform? You _did_ suggest you were saving it for someone.”

 The dancer and singer stood away from Kamui, eyes glittering. “You also promised me you’d be back to see me dance. Now I guess it’s time I can show-off my finished version.”

 “I thought you were still practicing it.”

 “I was almost done with it last time you saw me,” Aqua held out the ends of her silver dress (which had blue flowers similar to the one on Kamui’s suit embroidered upon it) and curtsied. “Now, you’ll get to watch your wife-to-be perform for you.”

  _Wife-to-be_. The words sounded fitting on her tongue and on his. He could only look on fondly as she braced herself, withholding deep breaths of air before unleashing them in a powerful song. The lyrics were new and it almost made him second-take himself as her words wrapped around him, her emotions sinking into him. There was a deep resonance in her song that sincerely pulled at his heart, and he could only find himself smiling like a child as she begun her dance. Pirouetting and spinning, dress twirling and glittering with the sparkle of jewels embedded secretly within, she made her way over to him.

 The dance was more intimate then he had initially suspected, with her fingers trailing over his lips and cheeks and grabbing at his hands only to let them slip right through his grasp. He was almost charmed by the combination her song and dance made, and he felt giddy as, midway, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips and then teased him to join her, hands held out. Kamui took them and Aqua seemed pleased, spinning him around and speaking to him in a language that could not be heard through sound alone. The passion she had held for him, the admiration and the longing, the feelings of unrequited love and of a passion she had deemed as forbidden, all her unspoken words pierced through him. And, it wasn’t until her lyrics had faded into soft murmurings and their dance had slowed into the end did they recognize that they had held an audience.

 Dozens of claps from more than just the royal family resounded through the throne room. Without their having paid attention, it seemed the entirety of the three kingdom’s armies had gathered before them. He saw Fuuga and Flora, Joker and Foleo, Flannel and Anna…everyone had unknowingly slipped in when they weren’t watching. Kamui looked at Aqua and she looked back before their cheeks became dusted with red as cheers went up around the room.

 “When’s the wedding?” Asura called, a grin plastered on his face.

 Ryouma glanced the to-be-engaged duo, arms crossed. “That depends on them.”

 Kamui grabbed Aqua’s hand and she squeezed it in return. “Should we do it later?” he asked.

 “Later,” she agreed. “It’s not necessary to rush things now.”

 A few disappointed sighs circulated throughout the room. Others nodded in blatant agreement. Regardless, Sakura approached them with a small, plush pillow. On the violet cushion stood two rings of glittering gold, one embedded with a sapphire the other with a ruby. Kamui regarded them with slight confusion before realizing what he was meant to do. He picked up Aqua’s left hand and grabbed the sapphire ring, slipping it upon her ring finger. She repeated the actions with him, allowing the ruby ring to be placed upon his. They stared at each other, smiled, and then exchanged their third kiss for the afternoon.

 Whistles went up among the crowd yet again and both the cheers and praise of the new king and queen to-be circulated fervently. Ecstatic and giddy, they pleaded for the pair to sing a duet. Kamui refused but his fiancée pressed him on and, reluctantly, they took up the song that he had always heard her sing since he’d first met her. Their audience, inspired by the overpowering lyrics, took the hands of loved ones and began to perform sweeping dances of their own. Kamui and Aqua watched them with pleasure, voices growing louder and louder until, eventually the party came to a successful end and they held the other in a loving embrace.

 It wasn’t until two years later that they birthed a royal heir. Shigure took the castle by storm and when his sister, Kanna, followed four years later, everyone agreed that the pair would make fine royalty just as their parents had. All four of their names went down in the history books of the Invisible Kingdom but, of all things, one was made completely clear. Kamui and Aqua, as well as their children, were heroes all in their own rights. And, in that way, they were always regarded as significant figures never to be forgotten. Their descendants were upheld as members of high regard, their tales as stories of grandeur, and their love for each other the one puzzle piece that finally rebuilt the Invisible Kingdom all together. All in all, they were heroes in their own rights and, with it, the single reminder of another time entirely.

FIN


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